PrimaryConnections Linking science with literacy

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PrimaryConnectionsLinking science with literacy
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Where are the priorities?
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Science education is a priority for the
Australian government
National Curriculum in Science to be implemented
from 2011 Major national assessment of
scientific literacy, NAPSL, at Year 6 and at Year
10 (2009) Investment in national science
programmes Primary Connections, Science by
Doing, Scientists in Schools
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Science education is a priority for Primary
Principals
Charter on Primary Schooling APPA September
2007 Science involves children in conjecture,
problem solving and the discovery of new ideas.
It offers knowledge and experience of the natural
world, participation in the identification and
collection of scientific evidence and an
introduction to experiment. The charter
identified Science and History as the two areas
(after literacy and numeracy) which are valuable
in helping children grasp the outlines of the
physical and social worlds.
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Science education in primary school is a priority
for parents

• The top three key learning
• areas in primary school as
• ranked by parents
• (ASTEC, 1997)
• English
• Mathematics
• Science

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What are the concerns?
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Concerns about primary science

• Teaching time
• Primary teachers spend less time on
• Science than all other subjects except LOTE
• 41 minutes per week spent on Science on average
  across K-7
• 2.7 of total weekly teaching time
• (Angus et al, 2004)

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Concerns about primary science

• Student achievement
• The National Assessments of Scientific Literacy
  (NAPSL) was conducted Australia-wide in 2006 in
  both government and non-government schools.
• To achieve the proficient standard students were
  required to demonstrate, with more than minimal
  or elementary skills, an ability to interpret
  reports use observed data collate and compare
  data and draw conclusions.
• Only 54.3 of Year 6 students achieved the
  proficient standard.
• The next NAPSL will be conducted in October 2009.
• Source Ministerial Council on Education,
  Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA)
  2009

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Why is this so?

• Teacher confidence
• Teacher knowledge and skill
• Inquiry pedagogy
• Status of science
• Resources

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The chain reaction
Low Low confidence Low
Little Low
science and self-efficacy
science opportunity science PCK

teaching for learning achievement

time
PCK - Pedagogical Content Knowledge
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What can be done?
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A collaborative project

• Australian Academy of Science project
• Funded by Department of Education, Employment and
  Workplace Relations (DEEWR) as a quality
  initiative under the Australian Government
  Quality Teacher Program (AGQTP)
• Research Consultants in Science Education and
  Literacy
• Reference Group consisting of representatives
  from
• Australian Academy of Science
• Department of Education, Employment and Workplace
  Relations
• Universities
• Literacy, English and Science Educators
  Associations
• State Education Departments
• Catholic and Independent Schools Associations
• Australian Primary Principals Association

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The result is Primary Connections
supported by curriculum resources
Professional learning programme
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Primary Connections Curriculum resources

• 19 award winning units
• Background Science CD in every unit
• Links science with literacy
• Incorporates Indigenous perspectives
• Supporting web resources
• Unit overviews
• Assessment rubrics
• Equipment lists
• How to appendices

Award winning units
2006
2007
2008
Shortlisted awaiting announcement
2009
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Why Primary Connections?
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It has a clear purposePurpose of Primary
Connections

• To
• improve learning outcomes for primary students in
  science
• and literacy
• by
• developing a professional learning programme
  supported with
• curriculum resources
• that will
• improve teachers confidence and competence for
  teaching
• science through developing their science
  pedagogical content
• knowledge.

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Primary Connections is based on research that has

• Informed the revision of the curriculum units and
  professional learning modules
• Informed the professional learning programme for
  trial teachers and for professional learning
  facilitators
• Determined the impact of the programme on
  teachers, students and schools.

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PrimaryConnections
The Primary Connections inquiry approach
Primary Connections employs an inquiry approach
to teaching and learning and features

• student-centred, hands-on learning
• links between science and both literacy and
  numeracy
• 5Es teaching and learning model
• student-planned investigations
• embedded assessment
• cooperative learning
• incorporation of Indigenous perspectives.

www.science.org.au/primaryconnections
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Science and literacy a mutually supportive
relationship
Creating a labelled diagram to represent
understanding of parts of a germinating broad
bean seed
Measuring and recording observations of broad
bean seed germination in a science journal
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Student work sample science journal and labelled
diagram
From Plants in action (Stage 2, Life and Living)
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Key features of the curriculum units

• Inquiry and investigative approach
• 5Es teaching and learning model
• Literacy focuses
• Cooperative learning strategies
• Assessment embedded with teaching and learning
• Indigenous perspectives
• (Curriculum resource each unit book costs 13.75
• including postage and handling)

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Primary Connections Curriculum units Jan 2009
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Primary Connections is based on a sound teaching
and learning modelthe 5Es.

• ENGAGE
• EXPLORE
• EXPLAIN
• ELABORATE
• EVALUATE

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Primary Connections has a comprehensive
Professional Learning Programme

• Professional learning workshops
• Training by professional learning
• facilitators
• Professional learning modules
• Introduction to Primary Connections
• The 5Es teaching and learning model
• Cooperative Learning
• Assessment
• Investigating
• Linking science with literacy

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Primary Connections incorporates Indigenous
perspectives

• Components include
• The Primary Connections Indigenous perspective
  framework (web resources).
• A professional learning module to support
  teachers development of relevant,
  contextualised curriculum with embedded
  Indigenous perspectives.
• Curriculum unit links to relevant Indigenous
  perspectives.

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The Primary Connections Indigenous perspective
framework

• aims to accelerate science and literacy learning
  outcomes for Indigenous students
• aims to increase non-Indigenous students and
  teachers awareness and understanding of
  Indigenous perspectives
• acknowledges peoples differing
• worldviews and the diversity of
• perspectives that are the reality
• of Australian classrooms.

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Research outlines the success of Primary
Connections Indigenous perspectives

• Small Study Big Success Story
• Primary Connections Incorporating Indigenous
  Perspectives Pilot
• Study Report - although the pilot study was
  small, the pilot teachers stories tell of big
  results, including increased engagement with
  learning for all students.

The Indigenous kids were much more motivated
their improvements in literacy transferred to
other subject areas so they were experiencing
more success across the curriculum. (Margie,
AIEO, Middleton Primary School)
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What does the research tell us?
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Research findingstrial teachers

• Primary Connections was trialled by 106 teachers
  in 56 schools across
• all states and territories in 2005.
• Primary Connections
• improved teachers confidence, self-efficacy and
  practice
• increased the amount of science taught
• had students responding positively to the
  activities and learning approach
• made a positive contribution to literacy learning
  and students used a wider range of forms of
  representation
• improved the status of science within the school.
  
• (Hackling Prain, 2005)

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Research findings...2007 Professional Learning
Facilitators
Perceptions of professional learning resources
65 rated the resources as Excellent (5 on a 1-5
scale) 30 rated the resources as Good (4 on a
1-5 scale) point scale) Therefore 95 rated the
resources in the top 2 categories. 62 indicated
no revisions were needed
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Research findingsTeacher satisfaction with
workshops

• Evaluation forms completed by teachers for PLF
  facilitated workshops in schools indicate a
  consistently high level of satisfaction, for
  example
• The workshop activities stimulated my learning
  3.45 / 4
• The workshop content was relevant to my school
  3.48 / 4
• My overall evaluation of the workshop 3.54 / 4

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What are the costs?
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Costs
Curriculum units13.75 each, ordered from the
website Professional learningIn consultation
with facilitators in your jurisdiction and
state EquipmentUsually low cost everyday
items SupportResearch indicates that one of the
enablers for implementing Primary Connections is
support from Principals
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Does it make a difference to student learning?
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Stage 3 Research

• Research Report No 15 (June 2008)
• Is the achievement on literacies of science and
  science processes by Primary Connections students
  greater than that of students from non-Primary
  Connections classes in equivalent schools?

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Overall results - Research report 15
Means of processes of science scores for
sub-groups of year 5-7 students
Means of processes of science scores for
sub-groups of year 5-7 students for primary
school tests



plt.01
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Overall results - Research report 15
Means of literacies of science scores for
sub-groups of year 5-7 students for primary
school tests





plt.01
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So what are we trying to achieve?
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National Curriculum

• From 2010 2011 nine new units will be published
  by Primary Connections which will align with the
  National Curriculum for Science. All nineteen
  previous units will be adjusted to align with the
  Curriculum. By mid 2011 twenty eight units will
  be available.

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February 2006 - July 2009. Total 171 299
Percentage of schools in each state which have
purchased Primary Connections units
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The chain reaction
Increased Science Pedagogical Content Knowledge

Improved practice
Increased self-efficacy
Increased science teaching time
Increased science achievement
Increased opportunity for learning science
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Where to now?

• Primary Connections is happening
• now in schools across Australia!
• Contact
• to organise a professional learning
• workshop and get your school
• involved.
• www.science.org.au/primaryconnections

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References

• Angus et al. (2004) The Sufficiency of Resources
  in Australian Primary Schools. Canberra
  Department of Education, Science and Training.
• Australian Science, Technology and Engineering
  Council (ASTEC). (1997). Foundations for
  Australias Future Science and technology in
  primary schools. Canberra Australian Government
  Publishing Service.
• Hackling, Mark W. and Prain, V. (2005). Primary
  Connections Stage 2 Trial Research Report.
  Canberra Australian Academy of Science
• MCEETYA (2005). National Year 6 science
  assessment report 2003. Victoria Curriculum
  Corporation.
• Thomson, S. and N. Fleming. (2004) Examining the
  Evidence Science achievement in Australian
  Schools in TIMSS 2002 (TIMSS Australia Monograph
  No.7), Melbourne Australian Council for
  Educational Research.